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77-401: All-Defensive Team may refer to: NBA All-Defensive Team WNBA All-Defensive Team Philippine Basketball Association All-Defensive Team Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title All-Defensive Team . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
154-680: A 29-board outburst against the Atlanta Hawks and 15 offensive boards (along with ten defensive) versus the Los Angeles Clippers . Led by the aging Jordan and Rodman (respectively 35 and 37 years old), the Bulls reached the 1998 NBA Finals , again versus the Jazz. After playing strong defense on Malone in the first three games, he caused major consternation when he left his team prior to Game Four to go wrestling with Hulk Hogan . He
231-469: A daughter they named Alexis. Rodman remained a bench player during the 1988–89 season , averaging 9.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in 27 minutes, yet providing such effective defense that he was voted into the All-Defensive Team, the first of eight times in his career. He also began seeing more playing time after Adrian Dantley was traded at midseason to Dallas for Mark Aguirre . In that season,
308-465: A father". He would not meet his father again until 2012. Rodman and his two sisters, Debra and Kim, grew up in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas , at the time one of the most impoverished areas of the city. Rodman's mother gave him the nickname "The Worm" for how he wiggles while playing pinball . Rodman was so attached to his mother that he refused to move when she sent him to a nursery when he
385-544: A former professional basketball player, Rodman has appeared in professional wrestling . He was a member of the nWo and fought alongside Hulk Hogan in the main event of two Bash at the Beach pay-per-views. In professional wrestling, Rodman was the first-ever winner of the Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament. He had his own TV show, The Rodman World Tour , and had starring roles in
462-517: A highly publicized affair with Madonna . The only player to whom Rodman related was reserve center Jack Haley , who earned his trust by not being shocked after a visit to a gay bar . However, despite a 55-win season, Rodman and the Spurs did not survive the first round of the 1994 playoffs and bowed out against the Utah Jazz in four games. In the following 1994–95 season , Rodman clashed with
539-604: A hustler, not when he kicked the cameraman." Rodman took up his hobby of professional wrestling seriously and appeared on the edition of March 10 of Monday Nitro with his friend Hollywood Hulk Hogan in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). At the March 1997 Uncensored event, he appeared as a member of the nWo . His first match was at the July 1997 Bash at the Beach event, where he teamed with Hogan in
616-454: A loaded rifle in his truck, debating whether or not he wanted to continue living. Eventually he fell asleep in the truck, where he was found by police who had been called to perform a welfare check on Rodman by a friend. It was in that moment that he had an epiphany : "I decided that instead [of killing myself] I was gonna kill the impostor that was leading Dennis Rodman to a place he didn't want to go ... So I just said, 'I'm going to live my life
693-471: A more honest life than most other people: I just took the chance to be my own man ... I just said: "If you don't like it, kiss my ass." ... Most people around the country, or around the world, are basically working people who want to be free, who want to be themselves. They look at me and see someone trying to do that ... I'm the guy who's showing people, hey, it's all right to be different. And I think they feel: "Let's go and see this guy entertain us." Before
770-595: A racist because, according to him, his own girlfriend Anicka "Annie" Bakes was white. In the following 1987–88 season , Rodman steadily improved his stats, averaging 11.6 points and 8.7 rebounds and starting in 32 of 82 regular season games. The Pistons fought their way into the 1988 NBA Finals , and took a 3–2 lead, but lost in seven games against the Los Angeles Lakers . In Game Six, the Pistons were down by one point with eight seconds to go; Dumars missed
847-463: A shot, and Rodman just fell short of an offensive rebound and a putback that could have won the title. In Game Seven, L.A. led by 15 points in the fourth quarter, but Rodman's defense helped cut down the lead to six with 3:52 minutes to go and to two with one minute to go. But then, he fouled Magic Johnson , who hit a free throw, missed an ill-advised shot with 39 seconds to go, and the Pistons never recovered. In that year, he and his girlfriend Annie had
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#1732787226019924-666: A timeout. Despite this, the Spurs advanced to the Western Conference Finals against their division rivals, the Houston Rockets. The Rockets had only recorded 47 wins and had to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win their previous series against the Phoenix Suns, but the team was the defending NBA champion, and it was thought that Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon would have a hard time asserting himself versus Robinson and Rodman, who had both been voted into
1001-653: Is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. The All-Defensive Team is generally composed of ten players in two five-man lineups, a first and a second team. Voting is conducted by a panel of 123 writers and broadcasters. Prior to the 2013–14 NBA season , voting was performed by the NBA head coaches, who were restricted from voting for players on their own team. The players each receive two points for each first team vote and one point for each second team vote. The top five players with
1078-432: The 1993–94 season , Rodman joined a Spurs team that was built around perennial All-Star center David Robinson , with a supporting cast of forwards Dale Ellis , Willie Anderson and guard Vinny Del Negro . On the hardwood, Rodman now was played as a power forward and won his third straight rebounding title, averaging 17.3 boards per game, along with another All-Defensive Team call-up. Living up to his promise of killing
1155-470: The 1995–96 season , Rodman was traded to the Chicago Bulls for center Will Perdue to fill a void at power forward left by Horace Grant , who had left the team before the 1994–95 season. Rodman could not wear No. 10 jersey because the Bulls had retired it for Bob Love , and the NBA denied him the reversion 01, Rodman instead picked the number 91, whose digits add up to 10. Although the trade for
1232-555: The 1999–2000 season , the then-38-year-old power forward Rodman was signed by the Dallas Mavericks , returning Rodman to his hometown. Dallas had won 10 of 13 before his arrival but went just 4–9 until he was waived by the Mavericks. He played 12 games, received six technical fouls, was ejected twice, and served a one-game suspension. While averaging 14.3 rebounds per game, above his career average of 13.1, Rodman alienated
1309-471: The Lady Techsters . While attending South Oak Cliff High School , Rodman was a gym class student of future Texas A&M basketball coach Gary Blair . Blair coached Rodman's sisters Debra and Kim, winning three state championships. However, Rodman was not considered an athletic standout. According to Rodman, he was "unable to hit a layup " and was listed in the high school basketball teams but
1386-649: The Long Beach Jam of the newly formed American Basketball Association during the 2003–04 season, with hopes of being called up to the NBA midseason. While he did not get that wish that season, he did help the Jam win the ABA championship in their inaugural season. Rodman also played in Mexico, with Fuerza Regia in 2004. In the following 2004–05 season, Rodman signed with the ABA's Orange County Crush Rodman played
1463-615: The Philippine national basketball team 110–102 at the Araneta Coliseum , where he scored three points and recorded 16 rebounds. On April 4, 2011, it was announced that Rodman would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . From the beginning of his career, Rodman was known for his defensive hustle, which was later accompanied by his rebounding prowess. In Detroit, he
1540-634: The Philippines . Rodman has many brothers and sisters: according to his father, he has either 26 or 28 siblings on his father's side. However, Rodman has stated that he is the oldest of a total of 47 children. After his father left, Shirley took many odd jobs to support the family, up to four at the same time. In his 1996 biography Bad As I Wanna Be , he expresses his feelings for his father: "I haven't seen my father in more than 30 years, so what's there to miss ... I just look at it like this: Some man brought me into this world. That doesn't mean I have
1617-670: The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament , a pre-draft camp for NBA hopefuls, where he won Most Valuable Player honors and caught the attention of the Detroit Pistons . During college, Rodman worked at a summer youth basketball camp, where he befriended camper Byrne Rich who was 13 years old at the time, who was shy and withdrawn due to a hunting accident in which he mistakenly shot and killed his best friend. The two became almost inseparable. Rich invited Rodman to his rural Oklahoma home; at first, Rodman
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#17327872260191694-404: The guard positions, Adrian Dantley and Sidney Green at forward, and center Bill Laimbeer . Bench players who played more than 15 minutes per game were sixth man Vinnie Johnson and the backup forwards Rick Mahorn and John Salley . Rodman fit well into this ensemble, providing 6.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and some tough defense in 15.0 minutes of playing time per game. Winning 52 games,
1771-417: The "shy imposter" and "being himself" instead, Rodman began to show first signs of unconventional behavior: before the first game, he shaved his hair and dyed it blonde, which was followed up by stints with red, purple, blue hair and a look inspired from the film Demolition Man . During the season, he headbutted Stacey King and John Stockton , refused to leave the hardwood once after being ejected, and had
1848-468: The 12 attempts. This was Dallas coach Don Nelson 's early version of what would later develop into the famous " Hack-a-Shaq " method that would be implemented against Shaquille O'Neal , Dwight Howard , and other poor free throw shooters. In 14 NBA seasons, Rodman played in 911 games, scored 6,683 points, and grabbed 11,954 rebounds, translating to 7.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game in only 31.7 minutes played per game. NBA.com lauds Rodman as "arguably
1925-431: The 2023–24 season, players must appear in at least 65 games (out of the normal 82-game schedule) to be eligible for most major regular-season playing awards and honors, including the All-Defensive Team. To receive credit for a game for purposes of award eligibility, a player must have been credited with at least 20 minutes played. However, two "near misses", in which the player appeared for 15 to 19 minutes, can be included in
2002-746: The 65-game count. Protections also exist for players who suffer season-ending injuries, who are eligible with 62 credited games, and those affected by what the CBA calls "bad faith circumstances". Also starting with the 2023–24 season, the All-Defensive Teams were no longer bound by position. Tim Duncan holds the record for the most total selections to the All-Defensive Team with 15. Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant follow with 12 total honors each, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has 11 total selections. Michael Jordan , Gary Payton , Garnett and Bryant share
2079-547: The 800-rebound limit for listing players and won his fourth straight rebounding title by averaging 16.8 boards per game and made the All-NBA Team. The Spurs won 62 games, good enough for the league's best record. However, things fell apart in the playoffs . During the second round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Rodman was suspended for insubordination for sitting on the floor with his shoes off during
2156-701: The Bears. In spring 2006, he played two exhibition games in the Philippines along with NBA ex-stars Darryl Dawkins , Kevin Willis , Calvin Murphy , Otis Birdsong and Alex English . On April 27, they defeated a team of former Philippine Basketball Association stars in Mandaue City , Cebu and Rodman scored five points and grabbed 18 rebounds. On May 1, 2006, Rodman's team played their second game and lost to
2233-497: The Bulls again, and in the 1990 NBA Finals , Detroit met the Portland Trail Blazers . Rodman suffered from an injured ankle and was often replaced by Mark Aguirre, but even without his defensive hustle, Detroit beat Portland in five games and claimed their second title. During the 1990–91 season , Rodman finally established himself as the starting small forward of the Pistons. He played such strong defense that
2310-467: The Bulls on January 21, 1999, before the start of the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season . With his sister acting as his agent at the time, Rodman joined the Los Angeles Lakers , for a pro-rated salary for the remainder of the 1998–1999 season. With the Lakers he played in only 23 games, in which he started in 11 of them and averaged 2 points and 11 rebounds per game and was released in the offseason. In
2387-401: The Bulls won their third title in a row and Rodman his fifth ring. After the 1997–98 season , the Bulls started a massive rebuilding phase, largely at the behest of general manager Jerry Krause . Head coach Phil Jackson and several members of the team left via free agency or retirement, including Michael Jordan , Scottie Pippen , Steve Kerr , and Jud Buechler . Rodman was released by
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2464-548: The Celtics closed out Game Seven, Johnson went back to Rodman in the last moments of the game and mimicked his taunting gesture. After the loss, Rodman made headlines by saying Celtics star Larry Bird was overrated because he was white. "Larry Bird is overrated in a lot of areas....Why does he get so much publicity? Because he's white. You never hear about a black player being the greatest". Although teammate Thomas supported him, he endured harsh criticism, but avoided being called
2541-491: The NAIA in rebounding twice (1985, 1986). In three seasons there (1983–1986), he averaged 25.7 points and 15.7 rebounds, and registered a .637 field goal percentage. In 1986 he led his team to the NAIA semifinals where he scored 46 points in a single game, while grabbing a tournament-tying record 32 rebounds, as they finished the season with the highest ranking in school history, at No. 3 in the nation. This helped get him invited to
2618-501: The NBA All-Defensive Teams. The Spurs, however, were never able to stop Olajuwon as he averaged 35.3 points per game in the series. Rodman was particularly critical of Spurs coach Bob Hill's play calling, saying that he coached the playoffs "like we were playing Minnesota in the middle of December" and that his idea that Rodman should assist Robinson, who he accused of freezing up in big moments, in defending Olajuwon
2695-637: The NBA Finals record of Elvin Hayes . Rodman garnered much publicity for his public antics. In 1996, Rodman wore a wedding dress to promote his autobiography Bad As I Wanna Be , claiming that he was bisexual and that he was marrying himself. In the 1996–97 season , Rodman won his sixth rebounding title in a row with 16.7 boards per game, along with 5.7 points per game, but failed to rank another All-Defensive Team call-up. However, he made more headlines for his notorious behavior. On January 15, 1997, he
2772-447: The NBA in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and won five NBA championships. On April 1, 2011, the Pistons retired Rodman's No. 10 jersey, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later that year. In October 2021, Rodman was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all-time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team . Rodman experienced an unhappy childhood and
2849-613: The NBA said he "could shut down any opposing player, from point guard to center". After coming off the bench for most of his earlier years, he started in 77 of the 82 regular-season games, averaged 8.2 points and 12.5 rebounds, and won his second Defensive Player of the Year Award. In the 1991 playoffs , the Pistons were swept by the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls went on to win
2926-497: The Pistons comfortably entered the 1987 playoffs . They swept the Washington Bullets and soundly beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games but bowed out in seven matches against the archrival Boston Celtics in what was called one of the physically and mentally toughest series ever. Rodman feuded with Celtics guard Dennis Johnson and taunted Johnson in the closing seconds when he waved his right hand over his own head. As
3003-572: The Pistons finally vanquished their playoffs bane by sweeping the Boston Celtics, then winning in six games versus the Chicago Bulls —including scoring champion Michael Jordan —and easily defeating the Lakers 4–0 in the 1989 NBA Finals . Rodman was hampered by back spasms but dominated the boards, grabbing 19 rebounds in Game 3 and providing tough interior defense. In the 1989–90 season , Detroit lost perennial defensive forward Rick Mahorn, who
3080-623: The Riches as his "surrogate family" that helped him through college, as of 2013 he had stopped communicating with the Rich family after Byrne's mother allegedly referred to Rodman as a "nigger". Rodman made himself eligible for the 1986 NBA draft . He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons as the third pick in the second round (27th overall), joining the rugged team of coach Chuck Daly that was called "Bad Boys" for their hard-nosed approach to basketball. The squad featured Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars at
3157-399: The Spurs and the Bulls, he had a historical outburst in the 1996 NBA Finals : he twice snared 11 offensive rebounds, equalling an all-time NBA record. In addition, he had a career-high 34-rebound game on March 4, 1992. Rodman's rebounding prowess with Detroit and San Antonio was also aided by his decreased attention to defensive positioning and helping teammates on defense. Daly said Rodman
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3234-459: The Spurs front office. He was suspended for the first three games, took a leave of absence on November 11, and was suspended again on December 7. He finally returned on December 10 after missing 19 games. After joining the team, he suffered a shoulder separation in a motorcycle accident, limiting his season to 49 games. Normally, he would not have qualified for any season records for missing so many games, but by grabbing 823 rebounds, he just surpassed
3311-521: The United Center, the power forward secured 19 rebounds and again 11 offensive boards, scored five points in a decisive 12–2 Bulls run, unnerved opposing power forward Shawn Kemp and caused Seattle coach George Karl to say: "As you evaluate the series, Dennis Rodman won two basketball games. We controlled Dennis Rodman for four games. But Game 2 and tonight, he was the reason they were successful." His two games with 11 offensive rebounds each tied
3388-622: The Worm ", he played for the Detroit Pistons , San Antonio Spurs , Chicago Bulls , Los Angeles Lakers , and Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Rodman played at the small forward position in his early years before becoming a power forward . He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award twice. He also led
3465-666: The Year twice (1990–1991) and making seven NBA All-Defensive First Teams (1989–1993, 1995–1996) and NBA All-Defensive Second Teams (1994). He additionally made two All-NBA Third Teams (1992, 1995), two NBA All-Star Teams (1990, 1992) and won seven straight rebounding crowns (1992–1998) and finally led the league once in field goal percentage (1989). Rodman was recognized as the prototype bizarre player, stunning basketball fans with his artificial hair colors, numerous tattoos and body piercings, multiple verbal and physical assaults on officials, frequent ejections, and his tumultuous private life. He
3542-539: The action films Double Team (1997) and Simon Sez (1999). He appeared in several reality TV series and was the winner of the $ 222,000 main prize of the 2004 edition of Celebrity Mole . Rodman was born in Trenton, New Jersey , the son of Shirley and Philander Rodman, Jr., an Air Force enlisted member, who later fought in the Vietnam War . When he was young, his father left his family, eventually settling in
3619-435: The already 34-year-old and volatile Rodman was considered a gamble at that time, the power forward quickly adapted to his new environment, helped by the fact that his best friend Jack Haley was also traded to the Bulls. Under coach Phil Jackson , he averaged 5.5 points and 14.9 rebounds per game, winning yet another rebounding title, and was part of the great Bulls team that won 72 of 82 regular season games, an NBA record at
3696-480: The best rebounding forward in NBA history and one of the most recognized athletes in the world" but adds "enigmatic and individualistic, Rodman has caught the public eye for his ever-changing hair color, tattoos and, unorthodox lifestyle". On the hardwood, he was recognized as one of the most successful defensive players ever, winning the NBA championship five times in six NBA Finals appearances (1989, 1990, 1996–1998; only loss 1988), being crowned NBA Defensive Player of
3773-527: The championship. In the 1991–92 season , Rodman made a remarkable leap in his rebounding. He collected an astounding 18.7 per game, winning his first of seven consecutive rebounding crowns, along with scoring 9.8 points per game, and making his first All-NBA Team. His 1,530 season rebounds (the most since Wilt Chamberlain 's 1,572 in the 1971–1972 season ) have not since been surpassed. ( Kevin Willis , who grabbed 1,258 boards that same season, came closest. Willis lamented that Rodman had an advantage in winning
3850-658: The coaches were responsible for voting, there were occasionally inconsistencies between the All-Defensive Team and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award , which has been voted on by the media. On four occasions, the Defensive Player of the Year winner was not voted to the All-Defensive first team in the same year. Player of the Year winners Alvin Robertson (1986), Dikembe Mutombo (1995), Tyson Chandler (2012) and Marc Gasol (2013) were instead named to
3927-580: The following season with the ABA's Tijuana Dragons . In November 2005, he played one match for Torpan Pojat of Finland's basketball league, Korisliiga . The return to the NBA never materialized, but on January 26, 2006, it was announced that Rodman had signed a one-game "experiment" deal for the UK basketball team Brighton Bears of the British Basketball League to play Guildford Heat on January 28 and went on to play three games for
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#17327872260194004-434: The franchise with his erratic behavior and did not provide leadership to a team trying to qualify for their first playoffs in 10 years. Dallas guard Steve Nash commented that Rodman "never wanted to be [a Maverick]" and therefore was unmotivated. After his NBA career, Rodman took a long break from basketball and concentrated on his film career and on wrestling. After a longer hiatus, Rodman returned to play basketball for
4081-521: The head coach of Cooke County College (now North Central Texas College ) in Gainesville, Texas . In his single semester there, he averaged 17.6 points and 13.3 rebounds, before flunking out due to poor academic performance. After his short stint in Gainesville, he transferred to Southeastern Oklahoma State University , an NAIA school. There, Rodman was a three-time NAIA All-American and led
4158-484: The highest point total make the first team, with the next five making the second team. In the case of a tie at the fifth position of either team, the roster is expanded. If the first team consists of six players due to a tie, the second team will still consist of five players with the potential for more expansion in the event of additional ties. Ties have occurred several times, most recently in 2013 when Tyson Chandler and Joakim Noah tied in votes received. Starting with
4235-406: The last 43 regular-season games, he established himself as the best defensive player in the game, lauded by the NBA "for his defense and rebounding skills, which were unparalleled in the league". Rodman's feats drew him his first big individual accolade: the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award . He also had a .595 field goal percentage, best in the league. In the 1990 playoffs , the Pistons beat
4312-436: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=All-Defensive_Team&oldid=932682372 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages NBA All-Defensive Team The NBA All-Defensive Team
4389-461: The rebounding title with his lack of offensive responsibilities. ) In a March 1992 game, Rodman grabbed a career-high 34 rebounds. However, the aging Pistons were eliminated by the up-and-coming New York Knicks in the first round of the 1992 playoffs . Rodman experienced a tough loss when coach Chuck Daly, whom he had admired as a surrogate father, resigned in May; Rodman skipped the preseason camp and
4466-479: The record for most NBA All-Defensive first team selections with nine. Scottie Pippen , Bobby Jones , and Duncan made the first team eight times each. Walt Frazier , Dennis Rodman and Chris Paul made the All-Defensive first team seven times. Victor Wembanyama was the first rookie to make the All-Defensive first team, doing it as a member of the San Antonio Spurs during the 2023-24 season . When
4543-597: The season, Rodman grabbed 20 or more rebounds 11 times and had his first triple-double against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 16, 1996, scoring 10 points and adding 21 rebounds and 10 assists; by playing his trademark tough defense, he joined Jordan and Pippen in the All-NBA Defense First Team. On March 16, 1996, Rodman head butted referee Ted Bernhardt during a game in New Jersey ; he
4620-405: The second team. The following table only lists players with at least nine total selections. Dennis Rodman Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. Renowned for his defensive and rebounding abilities, his biography on the official NBA website states that he is "arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history". Nicknamed "
4697-441: The time. About playing next to the iconic Jordan and co-star Scottie Pippen , Rodman said: On the court, me and Michael are pretty calm and we can handle conversation. But as far as our lives go, I think he is moving in one direction and I'm going in the other. I mean, he's goin' north, I'm goin' south. And then you've got Scottie Pippen right in the middle. He's sort of the equator. Although struggling with calf problems early in
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#17327872260194774-405: The way I want to live it and be happy doing it.' At that moment I tamed [sic] my whole life around. I killed the person I didn't want to be." The book was later adapted for a TV movie Bad As I Wanna Be: The Dennis Rodman Story . Although he had three years and $ 11.8 million remaining on his contract, Rodman demanded a trade. On October 1, 1993, the Pistons dealt him to the San Antonio Spurs . In
4851-427: Was considered a big liability: on December 29, 1997, Bubba Wells of the Dallas Mavericks committed six intentional fouls against him in only three minutes, setting the record for the fastest foul out in NBA history. The intention was to force him to attempt free throws, which in theory would mean frequent misses and easy ball possession without giving up too many points. However, this plan backfired, as Rodman hit 9 of
4928-505: Was counterproductive because it would force him off his man and leave the Spurs prone to giving up scoring opportunities. He even went off on the organization, including general manager Gregg Popovich , in the locker room following a game, saying that everything they did "sucked" and that Hill was "a loser". The Spurs would lose in six games, in a series Rodman said they "could have and SHOULD have" won. Rodman admitted his frequent transgressions, but asserted that he lived his own life and thus
5005-571: Was either benched or cut from the squads. Measuring only 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) as a freshman in high school, he also failed to make the football teams and was "totally devastated". After finishing high school, Rodman worked as an overnight janitor at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport . He then experienced a sudden growth spurt from 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) to 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) and decided to try basketball again, despite becoming even more withdrawn because he felt odd in his own body. A family friend tipped off
5082-457: Was fined $ 20,000, but it was not even ten percent of what he earned with this stint. However, Rodman's on-court performance remained top-notch, again shutting down Malone in Game Four until the latter scored 39 points in a Jazz Game Five win, bringing the series to 3–2 from the Bulls perspective. In Game Six, Jordan hit the decisive basket after a memorable drive on Jazz forward Bryon Russell ,
5159-531: Was fined $ 68,000. The following 1992–93 season was even more tumultuous. Rodman and Annie Bakes, the mother of his daughter Alexis, were divorcing after a short marriage, an experience which left him traumatized. The Pistons won only 40 games and missed the 1993 playoffs entirely. Four years later in his biography Bad As I Wanna Be , Rodman revealed just how far he had fallen. He had driven to The Palace of Auburn Hills in February 1993 late one night carrying
5236-429: Was four years old. According to Rodman, his mother was more interested in his two sisters, who were both considered more talented than he was in basketball and made him a laughingstock whenever he tagged along with them. He felt generally "overwhelmed" by the all-female household. Debra and Kim would go on to become All-Americans at Louisiana Tech and Stephen F. Austin , respectively. Debra won two national titles with
5313-588: Was involved in an incident during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves . After tripping over cameraman Eugene Amos, Rodman kicked Amos in the groin. Though he was not assessed a technical foul at the time, he ultimately paid Amos a $ 200,000 settlement, and the league suspended Rodman for 11 games without pay. Thus, he effectively lost $ 1 million. Missing another three games to suspensions, often getting technical fouls early in games and missing an additional 13 matches due to knee problems, Rodman
5390-502: Was mainly played as a small forward , and his usual assignment was to neutralize the opponent's best player; Rodman was so versatile that he could guard centers, forwards, or guards equally well and won two NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards . From 1991 on, he established himself as one of the best rebounders of all time, averaging at least 15 rebounds per game in six of the next seven years. Playing power forward as member of
5467-460: Was not as effective in the 1997 playoffs , in which the Bulls reached the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz . He struggled to slow down Jazz power forward Karl Malone but did his share to complete the six-game Bulls victory. The regular season of the 1997–98 season ended with Rodman winning his seventh consecutive rebounding title with 15.0 boards per game, along with 4.7 points per game. He grabbed 20 or more rebounds 11 times, among them
5544-417: Was not well-received by the Riches due to the fact he was 22 years old and black, but the Riches were so grateful to him for bringing their son out of his shell that they were able to set aside their prejudices. Although Rodman had severe family and personal issues himself, he "adopted" the Riches as his own in 1982 and went from the city life to "driving a tractor and messing with cows". Though Rodman credited
5621-634: Was often described as shy and introverted in his early years. After aborting a suicide attempt in 1993, he reinvented himself as a "bad boy" and became notorious for numerous controversial antics. He repeatedly dyed his hair in artificial colors, had many piercings and tattoos , and regularly disrupted games by clashing with opposing players and officials. He famously wore a wedding dress to promote his 1996 autobiography Bad as I Wanna Be . Rodman also attracted international attention for his visits to North Korea and his subsequent befriending of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2013. In addition to being
5698-409: Was ranked No. 48 on the 2009 revision of SLAM Magazine ' s Top 50 Players of All-Time. In 2021, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Rodman as the 62nd greatest player in NBA history. Metta World Peace played one year with the 91 jersey number in homage to Rodman, who he described as a player who he liked "on the court as
5775-459: Was selfish about rebounding, but deemed him a hard worker and coachable. Rodman's defensive intensity returned while with Chicago. On offense, Rodman's output was mediocre. He averaged 11.6 points per game in his second season, but his average steadily dropped: in the three championship seasons with the Bulls, he averaged five points per game and connected on less than half of his field goal attempts. His free throw shooting (lifetime average: .584)
5852-636: Was suspended for six games and fined $ 20,000, a punishment that was criticized as too lenient by the local press. In the 1996 playoffs , Rodman scored 7.5 points and grabbed 13.7 rebounds per game and had a large part in the six-game victory against the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals : in Game Two at home in the Bulls' United Center , he grabbed 20 rebounds, among them a record-tying 11 offensive boards, and in Game Six, again at
5929-430: Was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves in that year's expansion draft and ended up on the Philadelphia 76ers when the Pistons could not reacquire him. It was feared that the loss of Mahorn – average in talent, but high on hustle and widely considered a vital cog of the "Bad Boys" teams – would diminish the Pistons' spirit, but Rodman seamlessly took over his role. Averaging 8.8 points and 9.7 rebounds while starting in
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